by Johanna Draper

Created on: June 18, 2010   Last Updated: June 19, 2010

At times photographing babies can seem like a challenge. Babies' moods can change quickly, not to mention the speed at which they move around!

But it can be more easily done than it may seem, and the finished results are always very rewarding. People love good photos of babies, and babies are often a favorite subject for photographers.

Whether you're taking candid shots, or more formal shots of your baby, here are some tips that may help you.

1: Don't rush things. Be patient and wait for the right shot to present itself.

2: Use a longer zoom lens. My best candid shots of babies where taken with more zoom, because I was able to capture the picture from a distance without disturbing anyone. Candid shots with babies often present themselves in many forms, whether the baby is crawling on the floor, in a walker, or being held by someone.

3: Have a helper. When taking more formal shots, it's always good to have someone with you who can keep the babies attention, make them smile, etc.

4: Make it fun. Keep toys or bright colored objects with you that would make a baby laugh. Have your helper use these to entertain the baby when you are taking shots. This will allow you go get some great shots of laughter and smiling.

5: Take a lot of pictures. Sometimes it's best to shoot in a burst mode on your camera so you can take a long stream of pictures while holding the shutter release button down. Since babies move around a lot you are bound to take a lot of blurry pictures, and continuous shooting will increase your chances of getting good ones.

6: Shoot for the eyes as often as possible. There is nothing more wonderful and brilliant than the eyes of a child. Whenever eyes are going to be in the picture, make sure they are in sharp focus.

7: Make sure your batteries are always charged. There's nothing like missing the perfect shot because you ran out of power!

8: Invest in an editing program that will allow you to crop, make color corrections, and sharpen the image.

9: Try not to be intimidating. Many children and babies find it scary to have a large person with a mysterious black box following them around.

Practice using these tips, and see how it works out for you.  And make sure you have fun while you're doing it!

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